Blue and Blue II

In between my nightly routine of getting supper on the table I thought I probably had enough time to sneak in cleaning out our blue Beta fish's tank. I worked like a mad woman while the hamburger was browning to get it all finished. Normally, I keep Blue in a little bowl for a few hours after I clean the tank to be sure the new water is back to room temperature. However, Favorite Boy kept on saying he wanted to hold Blue just one time and that he really missed Blue couldn't he just give him one kiss? I sat and debated for quite awhile about leaving Blue in the little bowl vs dumping him back in the tank. Then I remember my friend Jenni's post about her "helping hands" and how Ruby didn't fare so well. I normally clean the tank when favorite boy is taking a nap, but since I was doing it during dinner he was infatuated with Blue in the smaller bowl. I got scared thinking about little Ruby so I just dumped Blue back in the tank thinking he would be safer that way.

We went about our nightly routine and after we put the kids to bed Aaron and I were cleaning up the kitchen. Aaron said uh-oh, I don't think Blue's doing so well. I think he's been laying on the bottom of the fish tank since I got home tonight. I took one look at the tank and knew it wasn't good. I turned around and started washing off the table and of course started crying. I killed my son's fish! I could only wash the table for so long before I was going to have to turn around. Aaron said well should we go get Favorite Boy up and have a funeral? I said no, I knew I was overreacting and I didn't want Favorite Boy to see me that upset. Aaron said well what are we going to tell him? I said I don't know yet. Of course Aaron's suggestion was that we could tell him Blue grew wings and flew away. In between my blubbering I told him we could not lie about the fish. He started laughing and said well it's worked with all the caterpillars we've had this fall. Aaron took care of Blue and I thought about what to do. The next morning Favorite Boy woke up and his newest caterpillar was dead in his caterpillar hut and he was a pretty upset about it. Ugh! He decided to put the caterpillar in the front yard so he could go to Heaven with his other caterpillar friends. It was Saturday morning and we had some errands to run so we headed out the door. We were gone pretty much all morning long and for our last stop I pulled into the pet store. Favorite Boy asked what are we doing here? I told him we were going to get a new fish. He said oh good now I will have two Blue fishes!! I said no honey I'm sorry Blue went to Heaven to live with God last night and so we are going to get another one. He smiled and said, okay can I show you the bird that says "Polly want a cracker first"?

WHAT?!

I said sure and we hopped out of the car and went inside. Sure enough there was a parrot that said "Polly want a cracker" Favorite Boy and his dad frequent the pet store and humane society often threatening to bring home all kinds of little creatures. I was amazed that Favorite Boy had any idea about the bird. I was still wondering if the whole fish thing was really going to go that smoothly. He marched right over to the Beta's picked out another blue one and carefully carried him to the counter. He then proceeded to tell the man at the counter that his other Blue fish died and went to live with God but it was okay because he was going to get a new Blue.